With the launch of its first recycled product called ”R-PET dry bags”, the Swedish outdoor brand Silva announces its first step toward becoming a more environmentally sustainable company. Richard Jägrud, the company’s chief executive, said it is time to care more about consumers and the planet, as his company is clearly a product and design driven company that manufactures consumer products with batteries, plastics, electronics, etc., while promoting outdoor activities in nature.
The name of the new recycled product, R-PET, stands for recycled PET bottles. The dry bags are made from 100 percent recycled materials and available in five sizes. The advantage of using recycled PET bottles is that no further petroleum is needed. In addition, less water and energy are used than in the production of new polyester.
”We are putting pressure on our suppliers regarding restrictions in terms of the materials we’re using and internally we are working alongside the principles of reuse, reduce and recycle. We have taken an important step by transforming our packaging to be recycled, recyclable and erased almost all plastics. This together with the launch of R-PET as our first green product is our way of taking responsibility, and there is more to come”, said Marcus Hjortsberg, product manager at Silva.
Silva was founded in 1933, when brothers Björn, Alvar and Arvid Kjellström invented the first liquid-filled compass. In 1935, the company expanded with another invention, the first headlamp. Since then Silva has been known for various products for outdoor enthusiasts. The brand is currently marketed in the Nordic region, Europe, Asia and North America and owned by the Swedish investment company Karnell, which acquired Silva from the Fiskars Corporation in 2011 (see The Outdoor Industry Compass – Vol. 4 n°14).
